life's a game, a the next step story
by wide eyed little girl
Summary: Life was a complex game. Emily loved playing games. Emily also loved her little sister Riley. Why not have a game staring Riley? Riley's life, that was Emily's favourite game./ Emily was playing a game. She had a pawn, she had the board. She didn't want an opponent, but she got one./ JamesxRiley, Slight DanielxRiley, Emily based. Very light Angst. (The Next Step)


Life was a complex game.

Emily loved playing games.

Emily also loved her little sister Riley.

Why not have a game staring Riley?

Riley's life, that was Emily's favourite game.

oOo

**Pawn: Riley**

Riley was easy enough to control. She listened to everything her sister said and worked unbelievably hard to please her. When Emily said something was wrong, Riley would dedicate her existence to fixing it. Essentially, Riley was the pawn.

**Board: The Squeeze**

Riley may have spent all her time at The Next Step, but The Squeeze was the real star of this show. The huge decisions in Riley's life were all made in The Squeeze, that couch and those three plush chairs. The Squeeze, that was the game board.

oOo

That's all the game was. The game was just Emily moving a pawn around a board, never having and opponent. It was easy, simple and fun. Riley always stayed out of drama, so it made it that much easier.

Then he came into the picture.

oOo

**Opponent: James**

He was so stupid. She had raised Riley to think it was stupid. He could dance, so what? He had smiled at Riley, and the girl had glared back. That was all.

But everything changed. When he smiled, the brunette girl would smile back. They'd leave the studio to go to The Squeeze at the _same time._ He would always sit next to her. His arm would go around her when they were walking, and not only did Riley allow it, she would put her arm around his waist.

It made no sense.

Riley started to rebel. She would call _him_ for help and blow off her weekly shopping trips with Emily to go see a movie with him. She didn't care what Emily thought anymore.

Slowly, he began to control Riley's life. Emily hated it.

She had an opponent. And her opponent was winning.

oOo

"Stay away from her."

"I love her."

"Stop lying."

"I wish I was."

oOo

Riley walked into the studio holding his hand, she rode in his car. When she was waiting outside of Emily's third period class, it wasn't for Emily. It would be for him, so they could talk before she had to rush off for whatever class was next.

James stopped flirting with every girl in sight. He wouldn't pay any attention to obvious come ons, he only had eyes for Riley. His ex girlfriend Beth wasn't even flirting with him anymore, so it was pretty clear, James was _taken_.

What annoyed Emily was that it was her little sister who had taken him.

oOo

"Stop hanging out with him."

"He makes me happy Em."

"Weren't you happy before?"

"I was, but this is different."

oOo

**Wild Card: Daniel**

Daniel made Riley happy too. Emily knew it. He was sweet and totally in love with her little sister. Riley started to smile at him more often and hang out with him more often. Riley and James's relationship was falling apart, she could sense it. It annoyed James how much Riley cared for Daniel and it annoyed Riley how much James cared about her life.

oOo

"She likes you."

"I know that."

"So why aren't you asking her out?"

"She loves James."

oOo

**Finish Line: Nationals**

Emily knew they'd go far, but not this far. A Troupe had successfully made it to Nationals, and were about to hear their standings. Emily put on the facade that she was 100% confident, but really, she wasn't sure what was next. They screamed and sang and danced when they found out, they had placed first. Riley and James had broken up, Daniel had left for Julliard, they had won nationals. It was just what Emily dreamed of.

oOo

(Oddly enough, Emily didn't join this conversation)

"Hey Riley."

"Hi James."

"I miss you."

"I..."

"What?"

"I was thinking of a sarcastic comment, but I miss you too."

"So, wanna go back to the start?"

"References from my favourite band, I like it."

"I like you."

"I love you."

"You think I don't?"

oOo

Emily found that adorable, yet it hurt to knew she had lost.

Emily had lost at the game she created.

It was pitiful.

(But in a way, it was probably better like this.)

oOo

**wow, that was one weird story... **

**review!**


End file.
